Drill and Kill - The War Against Wolves and Polar Bears

Sarah Palin pro-life? – not according to wolves and bears in Alaska. She promotes aerial hunting. The animals are chased by airplanes until they’re exhausted, the plane lands and a gunner shoots the animals.

Palin sued the Bush administration over the listing of polar bears as threatened so she can protect oil and gas development. She based her opposition on a scientific review which she declined to release. When a copy was obtained it was revealed that Alaska’s marine mammal scientists agree that polar bears are in trouble because of global warning and will be gone from Alaska by 2050.

In 2007 she offered a $150 bounty for wolves; hunters presented a wolf’s leg to collect.

This year fourteen newborn wolf pups and their parents were dragged from their den and shot.

According to a statement by Tom Banks, Alaska Representative, Defenders of Wildlife:
"The recent news that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game illegally killed 14 wolf pups as part of their efforts to boost caribou numbers and that they intentionally excluded this information from a June 30 press release only further diminishes the public’s faith and trust in the department’s ability to properly manage wolves and bears and follow the law.
This is the first time in more than 20 years that department biologists shot and killed wolves from the air and the first time that it has killed pups in their den. Alaska law prohibits the killing of pups in their dens as part of a predator reduction effort (Regulation 5AAC 92.110(i)) What’s more, the state itself advised the Board of Game in January of 2008 that it should reject a proposal that sought to allow killing in the den. So, clearly the state is aware the practice is illegal even as part of a predator control effort. Had this predator control program been scientifically and legally based it would not have been conducted at a time of year when wolves are tending to newly born offspring, making the illegal killing of pups in the den inevitable.”

Defenders of Wildlife was started in 1947; at that time it was called Defenders of Furbearers.

From one full-time employee and 1,500 members it has grown to over 150 employees and more than 500,000 members nationwide.

I’ve just renewed my membership and I urge everyone to check out their website to learn more about their programs and policies that are dedicated to the task of preserving our nation’s native wildlife species and habitats.

Check my new widget for updated info and for more information visit
www.defenders.org